Additions to commercial 3 day packs

What changes would you make to the standard, off the shelf 3 day post earthquake packs?

What does one have?

Before I can answer, let me ask, why an off-the-shelf kit? You, better than anyone else, know what you need.

Jeanette Isabelle

Lets use the "Grab 'N Go Three-Day Two-Person Emergency Kit with backpack ( $30.47 from WalMart) by readyamerica

Includes:
Backpack
Food and water ( unspecified amounts)
Emergency blankets
First aid kit
Two 12-hour safety light sticks
Dust masks
Nitrile gloves
Emergency whistle
Emergency ponchos and pocket tissues
10 cotton tip applicators


not this one http://www.walmart.com/ip/Life-Gear-Life-Essentials-3-Day-Emergency-Survival-Kit/14521518

This one?

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Grab-N-Go-3-Day-2-Person-Emergency-Kit-with-Backpack/10910697

One water box per person per day is not enough. You need a minimum of four.

I would not rely on that first aid kit for such an emergency. If I had to rely on that emergency kit, I would supplement it with a better first aid kit. The following is one of the first aid kits I own.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Johnson-Johnson-Red-Cross-All-Purpose-First-Aid-Kit-125-pc/44298773

Like I do with all my first aid kits, I modified it. I have no affiliations; Johnson & Johnson builds decent budget-friendly first aid kits.

Jeanette Isabelle

• Backpack: Is it any good? Will it fit whoever is to wear it? Will it hold up?
• Food and water ( unspecified amounts): I strongly prefer hydration bladders for carrying enough water to matter -- this kit sounds like it doesn't have enough water to matter.
• Emergency blankets: Cheap mylar blankets are better than nothing but I would throw them out and replace with Heatsheets.
• First aid kit: Addressed above.
• Two 12-hour safety light sticks: Waste of space, would throw them out and replace with a quality LED flashlight and extra batteries.
• Dust masks: Good.
• Nitrile gloves: Good.
• Emergency whistle: If it's a good one, good.
• Emergency ponchos and pocket tissues: Emergency ponchos are much better than nothing but I would prefer a real rain shell and a fleece for each person in your party. Pocket tissues are a nice-to-have but I don't include them in emergency kits, as I can always come up with something I'd rather include.
• 10 cotton tip applicators: Huh?

I don't see any fixed-blade knife, multitool, flashlight (mentioned above), headlamp, fire-making, cordage, navigation, sun protection, bug protection, or water disinfection. This doesn't look like a kit I would buy.

Hmm, maybe it's just me but the Grab-N-Go kit doesn't look that impressive. So for $30 you get a cheap backpack with a few very basic (and cheap - as in not so great quality) items. No tools of any kind, no flashlight, no way to start a fire etc. I'm not really sure how you could upgrade that kit. It might be better to avoid it altogether and save your money. Even the generic pocket survival tin that costs about the same looks pretty good compared to what you get with this package. Another $5 will buy the plastic rain poncho and a lot more bottled water than is included in the Walmart kit.

I understand buying a commercial kit may be convenient for some people. But all in all, you could do a much better job assembling a survival kit from scratch. It might cost a little more (or maybe not) but in any case it gives you the freedom to tailor the contents of the kit to your specific needs. Also, most commercial kits on the market contain items of substandard quality, oftentimes so bad they pretty much fall apart the first time you try to use them. YMMV.

I would not brush off emergency ponchos. They are good for what they are intended to be, a one-time-use items for when it's wet but not cold.


I'm wondering about that too.

Jeanette Isabelle

I put them in my car kits -- but I have a good rain shell in my car, and I've been trying to get my wife to keep one in hers.

looks like the sort of thing that would give the average person a false sense of security.
back to the question of what to add is more of what to toss out.having said that i would want a pack of those lifeboat rations,a big water bladder and a filter or tabs,a nylon rain jacket and poly fluff jacket as blankets don't cover everything and would slip off when moving.a few TP packs that come in MRE's and wet wipe sort of things.a LED light is a must and rather than a back pack i would want a pack frame because you can carry a lot more weight.i found that out when i used a yard sale frame to carry spring water back to my car.it was a easy walk but when i lifted the four gallon picnic jug out it was heavy!

Useful for cleaning a whole number of things besides the ears! I use them for cleaning gun parts, tools, etc. Considering the small size & weight, why not include them.

However, no kit is complete without the much more important duct tape & cordage and I don't see that on the list.

I'd start with a bigger better pack - a college book pack, 2nd hand, for example. Which would have more room for missing items; tools, more water* and warmth
(fleece pullover or rain jackets.) Waterproof box for phone, charger.

Teacher


* hard to include 6 gals of water, but its good to have a way to hold it.

The best of this type of which I am aware is this from REI http://www.rei.com/product/867416/rei-emergency-kit

It isn't without its flaws - no matches - which is duly noted in the product description. It could also include more water. It isn't what you would call cheap at $165.

You can do much better by assembling you own kit. It will be suited to your circumstances, your environment, and your techniques. Using stuff you already have, it will be much cheaper and more useful. Any such pack should be regularly updated with summer and winter versions, at a minimum.

I agree. The biggest fault I see with most emergency packs is that they are based on bags that hang all the weight on the shoulders, which are simply the wrong place to on the body to carry much weight for any distance.

If the objective is only to contain assorted gear together in one handy place, than a bookbag style pack with shoulder straps only would be fine. But if the objective is to be able to carry more than 10-15 lbs for some appreciable distance, then a pack with either an internal or an external frame capable of shifting the load to a stout hip belt is called for.

My own pack is based on a Kelty MAP 3500. http://www.amronintl.com/kelty-map-3500-three-day-assault-pack.html

interesting that none of these "kits" apparently contain any kind of edged instrument. I would certainly toss in a Mora, some model or another of RSK, or a Wave.

OK, how about tinder
to help start a fire

Tools for shutting off gas and water (could be important for after an earthquake). A more robust FAK. A dust filter and goggles and leather gloves (to deal with the mess of demolition style debris). More water. A pry tool. A flashlight and extra batteries. A more robust multi-tool (Leatherman Wave is my preference). A roll of gorilla tape.

That would be a good start anyways. Earthquakes usually require increased material handling and a more hazardous atmosphere present. Most three day packs are generally too anemic anyways.

Good points.

All the airborne crap around the WTC did number on my lungs, even though I tried to wear a respirator most of the time, despite assurances from the EPA that the air quality is not a problem. You are right, at every disaster, helos, trucks and all the activity, not to mention fires, can quickly send air to very unhealthy levels, so some N-95 masks or better are cheap and very worthwhile protection.

Having sturdy boots, appropriate clothing, work gloves and a hard hat will also be very welcome in the aftermath of a disaster. The needn't take up precious space in your kit bag; just keep them in a cheap drawstring pouch or something on the outside.

I'm not sure which tools would serve best for hasty first responder light rescue, post-disaster. But an awful lot can be accomplished with a Halligan (Hooligan) tool and a fire axe, if you know how to use them and want to invest $200+. Personally, I have a smaller and much cheaper Stanley 18" FuBar, a Channellock 88, and a spring-loaded window punch/seatbelt cutter, along with the usual tool kit, in my trunk.